Ramaphosa mourns death of activist and education expert Graeme Bloch

President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent his condolences following the death on Friday of struggle veteran and education expert Professor Graeme Bloch.

The 65 year old was battling a neurodegenerative disease, his brother Lance said in a Facebook post.

Bloch was the husband of former ANC deputy secretary-general Cheryl Carolus.

He was detained and arrested numerous times by the then-apartheid government for his activism. He was also an executive member of the National Education Crisis Committee (NECC) as well as the United Democratic Front (UDF).

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In a terse statement on Twitter, Ramaphosa said he was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Bloch.

“We recall and honour with gratitude and admiration his contribution to our struggle, from his early days as a passionate, long-haired student activist. We are richer as a nation for Graeme’s intellectual and organisational leadership in the education sector, ushering us towards adopting a range of policies that opened the doors to millions of historically excluded citizens.

“Wishing his loved ones strength at this difficult time,” the president said.

Paying tribute to his brother, Lance described him as a fearless fighter for justice and equality.

He said Bloch was one of the foremost educationalists in the country who was a humble, brave and humorous man.

“Banned, detained [and] beaten by the apartheid government, but he fought on, often at great cost to himself. Stricken by a terrible neurodegenerative disease which left him with a brilliant mind in a wasting body. But he accepted it and fought on.”

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